The home in Houston and family relocating are important factors that Winfield might consider.

However, a return to MN or move to DC would likely be for 1-2 years. Winfield could rent a home in MN (or DC) for 1-2 years and travel to Houston to be with his family when there are opportunities in the practice schedule. In essence, he might travel back & forth from MN and TX up to 20 weeks per season, not 52 weeks per year.

My concern is that Vikings fans who want Winfield back have forgotten that Seattle is dropping him, meaning his skills and abilities have diminished, and Vikings fans are basing their opinions on his PAST performance levels, which may not be realistic in 2013. So a yute Vikings CB with POTENTIAL to be a good DB in the future would have to be pushed off the roster to make room for Winfield for 1, maybe 2, years. Fortunately, we all see a few CBs who are 'expendable'; i.e. Sherels, Felder(sp?), or Jefferson who may not have much room to improve going forward.

I would only sign Winfield if NO draft picks are involved, and he is signed at a little over the vet minimum. I would then sign a free agent CB to the PS to replace Winfield in case of injury in 2013, and retirement in 2014.

The only yute CBs with potential to start in the NFL are Rhodes and Robinson, neither of whom are getting cut for Winfield. Rhodes should be good but even highly drafted rookie CBs often struggle, Robinson looked terrible against SF and I'm worried he'll bust out of the league within a year or two. You don't want to start the season with those 2 as your #2 and #3, especially when your #1 (Cook) has never played a full season in the NFL.

Winfield's skills probably have diminished a little, but he was very good in his limited role last year. The Seahawks have an embarrassment of riches at DB, so they have an actual choice to make about yute vs Winfield. Winfield's competition played great in preseason so they'd be cutting a potential long-term starter for a veteran on his last hurrah.

That'd be a nice problem to have for the Vikings, but their quality depth is nowhere near that level. If they don't bring Winfield in, they'd better bring a different vet who can compete for NCB. Lacey was the plan for that this year, but he got hurt and has already been cut.

If Winfield gets cut, no draft picks will be involved, but we'll be bidding on him as a FA. Have to imagine there will be other teams interested. For a very late round pick (the quality of Dawkins, who's NFL career ends today) we could have a player who helps considerably in the nickel package this year.

The home in Houston and family relocating are important factors that Winfield might consider.

However, a return to MN or move to DC would likely be for 1-2 years. Winfield could rent a home in MN (or DC) for 1-2 years and travel to Houston to be with his family when there are opportunities in the practice schedule. In essence, he might travel back & forth from MN and TX up to 20 weeks per season, not 52 weeks per year.

My concern is that Vikings fans who want Winfield back have forgotten that Seattle is dropping him, meaning his skills and abilities have diminished, and Vikings fans are basing their opinions on his PAST performance levels, which may not be realistic in 2013. So a yute Vikings CB with POTENTIAL to be a good DB in the future would have to be pushed off the roster to make room for Winfield for 1, maybe 2, years. Fortunately, we all see a few CBs who are 'expendable'; i.e. Sherels, Felder(sp?), or Jefferson who may not have much room to improve going forward.

I would only sign Winfield if NO draft picks are involved, and he is signed at a little over the vet minimum. I would then sign a free agent CB to the PS to replace Winfield in case of injury in 2013, and retirement in 2014.

The only yute CBs with potential to start in the NFL are Rhodes and Robinson, neither of whom are getting cut for Winfield. Rhodes should be good but even highly drafted rookie CBs often struggle, Robinson looked terrible against SF and I'm worried he'll bust out of the league within a year or two. You don't want to start the season with those 2 as your #2 and #3, especially when your #1 (Cook) has never played a full season in the NFL.

Winfield's skills probably have diminished a little, but he was very good in his limited role last year. The Seahawks have an embarrassment of riches at DB, so they have an actual choice to make about yute vs Winfield. Winfield's competition played great in preseason so they'd be cutting a potential long-term starter for a veteran on his last hurrah.

That'd be a nice problem to have for the Vikings, but their quality depth is nowhere near that level. If they don't bring Winfield in, they'd better bring a different vet who can compete for NCB. Lacey was the plan for that this year, but he got hurt and has already been cut.

If Winfield gets cut, no draft picks will be involved, but we'll be bidding on him as a FA. Have to imagine there will be other teams interested. For a very late round pick (the quality of Dawkins, who's NFL career ends today) we could have a player who helps considerably in the nickel package this year.

I agree with much of this ^, however, how long will Winfield play, and will a backup CB be a better long run choice even if he remains a career backup?

So, a tradeoff decision looms on the horizon:

1 season of Winfield at NCB, splitting time with Robinson, or Robinson struggling and another CB kept who might contribute as a backup and on STs as a PR for 5 to 7 years into the future?

I would accept trading a CONTINGENT 2015 7th round pick for Winfield, which would translate into a 2014 7th round pick if Winfield played more than X number of snaps in 2013, where X translates to about 15 to 20 per game, or 240 to 320 snaps in 2013.

In lieu of a high vet salary, Winfield might be allowed to ride the Wilfjet on a weekly basis, to/ from Houston.

Which backup would be a better long-term option at the moment then Winfield? A.J. Jefferson or Marcus Sherels I dont see as long-term backup types for this team. Jefferson is a free agent next year anyway. I see Bobby Felder as a potential long-term backup, but MN doesnt need to release Felder for Winfield. They can release Jefferson and probably be no worse off long-term, and gain quite a bit in the present term.

Robinson can be the long-term nickel CB after learning the spot form Winfield. Felder can be the long-term dime CB and reserve outside CB.

Still need to draft a guy to round out the 5th spot, but I dont see how that is really any different if Jefferson is on the team over Winfield.

Which backup would be a better long-term option at the moment then Winfield? A.J. Jefferson or Marcus Sherels I dont see as long-term backup types for this team. Jefferson is a free agent next year anyway. I see Bobby Felder as a potential long-term backup, but MN doesnt need to release Felder for Winfield. They can release Jefferson and probably be no worse off long-term, and gain quite a bit in the present term.

Robinson can be the long-term nickel CB after learning the spot form Winfield. Felder can be the long-term dime CB and reserve outside CB.

Still need to draft a guy to round out the 5th spot, but I dont see how that is really any different if Jefferson is on the team over Winfield.

OK, this ^ makes sense to me.

What would you offer Seattle to ensure he doesn't hit the open market?

7th in 2014? Other?
Contingent on number of games or snaps played in 2013?

Which backup would be a better long-term option at the moment then Winfield? A.J. Jefferson or Marcus Sherels I dont see as long-term backup types for this team. Jefferson is a free agent next year anyway. I see Bobby Felder as a potential long-term backup, but MN doesnt need to release Felder for Winfield. They can release Jefferson and probably be no worse off long-term, and gain quite a bit in the present term.

Robinson can be the long-term nickel CB after learning the spot form Winfield. Felder can be the long-term dime CB and reserve outside CB.

Still need to draft a guy to round out the 5th spot, but I dont see how that is really any different if Jefferson is on the team over Winfield.

OK, this ^ makes sense to me.

What would you offer Seattle to ensure he doesn't hit the open market?

7th in 2014? Other?
Contingent on number of games or snaps played in 2013?

How long would Winfield be expected to play?

7th in 2014 would be okay with me. Make it conditional based on playing time though, maybe if he plays 50% of the snaps we give up a 7th. If not, we give up nothing.